14 DAY TRIAL // In a new study, researchers were able to determine that previous herpes simplex virus 1 infections can be held at least partially responsible for various impairments that occur in schizophrenics. These include reduced concentration skills and physical dexterity, a weaker memory, and brain areas that are reduced in size when compared to those of normal individuals. The study was conducted by scientists at the Johns Hopkins University, LiveScience reports.
“We're finding that some portion of cognitive impairment usually blamed solely on the disease of schizophrenia might actually be a combination of schizophrenia and prior exposure to herpes simplex virus 1 infection, which reproduces in the brain,” says JHU School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry associate professor David J. Schretlen. He was also the leader of the team that conducted the new investigation. Additional details of the work were published in the May issue of the esteemed scientific journal Schizophrenia Research.
According to the team, it could be that this line of research will provide new methods for healthcare experts to reduce the incidence and severity of various types of cognitive impairments that very often accompany this condition. “If we can identify schizophrenic patients with HSV-1 antibodies early on, it might be possible to reduce the risk or the extent of cognitive deficits,” the team leader adds. The research also added more credence to previous works, which showed that applying antiviral medication to schizophrenia patients can reduce symptoms and cognitive decline, as well as the overall severity of the condition.
One of the most promising things about the new research is that it can identify schizophrenia very early on. Usually, it takes at least a few years for the condition to progress from the point where the first signs of cognitive decline appear to the point where classic symptoms – such as delusions and hallucinations – occur. Catching the condition early on could make it easier for doctors to treat it, and for patients to get rid of it. The new path scientists can take, that or antiviral medication, could make this line of research more efficient in a reduced amount of time, the JHU team concludes.